The average residential rate rise would be capped at 2 percent in each of the three years next term, $500 million extra would be cut from council budgets over eight years, and staff numbers would be frozen.

In an interview with Ms Crone and Auckland Future’s candidate and sitting councillor Denise Krum, the pair couldn’t say much more about what the pledge will mean.

Then why did they sign something they can’t explain or understand enough about to put their signatures to it?

Take the 2 percent residential rates cap, how much less revenue would that bring in than the currently proposed 4 percent averages?

Ms Crone couldn’t give a figure, it “would depend”, it would “not be significant”, and “would not impede the ability to invest”.

The real answer, based on council data, is that about $20m less would flow into council coffers each year.

Why can’t she give a figure? She’s been at this for 6 months now with less than 5 months to go until the election and she can’t give specific answer on pledges she is making? Is she being advised by drop-kicks and muppets?

The pair repeatedly talked about the certainty the pledge would give residents.

So what about the other components of household’s rates bills, such as the $114 flat Transport Levy introduced last year, would that remain?

They would “review it”, and “not in the first two years”. In fact the levy has only two more years to run, having been introduced as an interim measure ahead of new transport funding sources still to be discussed with the government.

What about the contentious Uniform Annual Charge?

The UAGC makes up a portion of household’s total rates set as a flat fee of $397. Some centre-right councillors want a higher flat charge, which would lower the proportion of rates determined by property value, and bump up rates for lower-value properties.

Ms Crone and Auckland Future are waiting to see what people say on the issue in consultation for this year’s annual budget. So would they be bound by the outcome of that consultation? “No.”

It’s all just corporate weasel words with no specifics. Bumper sticker slogans, weasel words…if someone who wants to run for mayor can’t provide facts and figures five months out from the election they don’t deserve to even be in the race.

The other key headline pledge is a commitment over eight years to trim the council group budget by $500m, over and above a savings programme being currently driven by the council.

Where would the savings come from? “Back office,” said Ms Crone. No services would be cut. The half billion dollars would be cut from how the council runs itself.

Again no specifics. This is just bloody hopeless.

This probably the reason why Vic Crone is sending out the heavies to try and shut down debates with other candidates. She knows she will flop about like a snapper on the wharf.

If you go to a public meeting of Crone’s she just mouths platitudes and corporate speak. It’s all about “having a conversation” about this or “having a conversation” about that…my favourite was that she was “in listening mode”.

People will increasingly swipe left on the Tinder candidate. The more they find out about Vic Crone and her predilection for helping the Labour party the more they will wonder why she pretends to be a “National” candidate.

Yesterday was the much heralded launch of Nikki Kaye’s political vehicle, Auckland Future’s, first two candidates. The slight problem is that Auckland Future are so terrible that their web site does not come up on google, and if you want to find it you have to type in the URL until you get the right site.

The nascent Auckland Future appears to have been soundly rejected by the current right wingers on council.

So far we have been able to confirm that Councillors Wood, Quax & Stewart will not be joining. Cr Krum is concerned that Auckland Future will damage her chances in a tight election, and is also concerned that they will try to force her into policies that please Nikki Kaye voters but do not please Denise Krum voters. None of the new right wing candidates I know about, declared or undeclared, are intending to join.

Chris Fletcher may join but is sitting on the fence (like she has always done) and waiting to see what is happening.

Desley “Anastasia” Simpson, running in Orakei, is going to join, and the opportunist and all round dopey bastard Calum Penrose may be signed up. Penrose is likely to do what Noelene Raffils did with C&R, refuse to contribute to their campaign fund but leverage off their brand. Read more »

Yesterday the Auckland Council’s Regulatory and Bylaws Committee decided to ignore unanimous support from local residents and instead listen to two council officials and over ride a 5 year ban on set netting in Arkles Bay.

In doing so they placed a target on their backs for a strong campaign to ensure they are replaced.

A decision made by Auckland Council’s Regulatory and Bylaws Committee today (October 13) will see the current year-round ban on set netting in Arkles Bay replaced with a summer-only ban that runs from November 1 to April 30 each year. The summer ban will be within 200 metres (seaward) of the Mean High Water Spring.

This decision flies in the face of a united front from the community, the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board and Councillors John Watson and Wayne Walker who sought a continuation of the year-round ban.

The year-round ban on set netting, introduced by the former Rodney District Council in March 2007, was unique in Auckland and it was this that appeared to make it problematic for Auckland Council’s “one size fits all” approach.

Council staff offered residents an opportunity for feedback prior to today’s committee meeting, via a website, promising that all such feedback would be put before Councillors for consideration. More than 660 submissions were received in the week after that address was publicised in Hibiscus Matters’ October 1 issue.

However, Albany Ward Councillor John Watson, who is on the Regulatory and Bylaws Committee, says those comments were not put before the committee.

“The impassioned and evidence-based views of the local community were ignored,” he says.

Another of his election promises has gone by the wayside as his council keeps on increasing rates rather than reining in spending.

Auckland Council’s budget committee has voted 16-7 for a proposal to increase rates by 3.5 per cent for each year of a new 10-year budget.

The proposal got the backing of Mayor Len Brown, who promised voters to hold rates at 2.5 per cent this term.

This is on top of the massive rates rises of the last 3 years, some way more than 10% but capped under now expired legislation. Remember too that this is average rates rises of 3.5%, there will be some with even higher rates rises.

Auckland Council troughers have voted to continue to sup fromt eh trough despite the council running a black budget process due to burgeoning debt.

Not for them to have to spend time with the smelly passengers and poor people in cattle class.

A group of Auckland councillors have managed to retain a business-class-travel perk, but a bid to give them free parking has been voted down.

The move comes as reduced library hours, street cleaning and an end to inorganic rubbish collections are on the table for sweeping budget cuts.

George Wood, Christine Fletcher, Denise Krum and Calum Penrose were among those who voted yesterday to defeat an amendment by councillor John Watson to restrict business-class air travel to health grounds only.

Councillors get to keep the perk of sitting in business class when taking flights of more than six hours and conducting council business within 24 hours of landing at an overseas destination.

It took the casting vote of finance committee chairman and Labour councillor Ross Clow to keep the status quo in the elected members’ expenses policy, despite many of his left-wing colleagues voting to tighten the rules.

Right wingers Cameron Brewer and Dick Quax supported the left to tighten the rules.

Mr Clow justified his decision on the basis that elected representatives needed to turn up fresh and fully prepared to represent Auckland after long-haul travel beyond most of Australia.